Chapter 6: Captain Xie’s Strange Illness

Li Zhonghao was one of her former patients—one of the most special cases. It was also because of him that her small clinic became famous overnight, covered by more than a dozen media outlets in succession.

The Li Zhonghao lying on the train bunk now was only experiencing rapid breathing—he could absolutely hold on for six more hours until the top medical experts in the capital could treat him. He didn’t need any emergency intervention from her. Yet, back when she first treated him, he’d been even more frail than now—just a few breaths away from death. It was one of his “filial” granddaughters who insisted on bringing him to the then-unknown Xue Qingdai.

She still remembered how her tiny clinic was packed to the brim. A billionaire on the verge of death, surrounded by eight or nine sons and grandsons, all waiting eagerly to divide the inheritance. Each one had a professional agent with them, terrified they might get a billion less. Everyone was waiting for Li Zhonghao to die.

Before that, he’d been seeking treatment in America for over twenty years, always involving teams of ten or more specialists and as many as eight meetings a week to determine the best course of action. It kept him looking outwardly healthy. Until early 2018, when he returned to China to invest in a heavily promoted international project. On his way there, his seemingly strong health collapsed again.

The whole family was thrilled.

Ignoring the surrounding top-tier hospitals, they brought him to her tiny clinic. Under the hopeful gazes of the younger generation, Xue Qingdai expressionlessly applied just three needles—and extended his life by three years.

Not long after, she received a treatment fee of 280 million yuan, the highest of her career. That number kept climbing in the years after. She gained more and more wealthy patients—and countless troubles.

Xue Qingdai hated anything that disrupted the peaceful life she had now. As far as she was concerned, Li Zhonghao’s condition didn’t require her help.

Lost in thought, she kept her face hidden under the gray cotton shirt—this face that brought her nothing but trouble. After two lifetimes with the same face, experience had proven it attracted too much attention.

Liu Zhihong, after explaining everything, saw her unmoved and asked cautiously, “Miss, is… is there no hope for him?”

He hadn’t been a soldier for many years, but the idea of losing a life under his watch left him feeling discouraged. Looking at the young girl, she didn’t seem older than twenty—and here she was expected to handle such a critical case. It felt like too much to ask.

Xue Qingdai shook her head. “He’s just asleep. Don’t worry. Someone already gave him CPR.”

She had no intention of getting too close to Li Zhonghao under their watch. If they suspected her of being a spy, she’d have no way to explain. Better to stay cautious. Her small hands clenched together—she really missed home, where her whole family protected her and she could just eat and drink without worry.

She had to break off the engagement quietly. Besides, the male lead Xie Yan probably wanted to cancel it even more than she did.

Liu Zhihong’s tanned face broke into a smile, his bright white teeth showing. “Then I’ll go get some hot water for Mr. Li when he wakes up.”

Xie Yan, standing straight with fingers along the seam of his trousers, suddenly asked, “Did you spray perfume?”

That smell—it was sweet, like a blend of fruit and flowers. A scent that strong could be problematic. As he had been the one to ask for her help, he didn’t want to be rude and search her belongings.

Now that it was just the two of them, Xue Qingdai realized the cold-faced man was talking to her.

It was the first time she looked directly at Xie Yan. She had saved countless people, but this was the first time someone’s sheer presence frightened her before she even saw his face clearly.

Had she become timid after transmigrating?

His slightly wounded face added a hint of wildness to his already striking looks. His nose was tall and straight, his obsidian phoenix eyes expressionless and cold.

Suddenly, Xie Yan looked away.

Xue Qingdai hadn’t seen his full face, but she could tell—this officer was handsome. If she gave him acupuncture, she could probably hit the points even with her eyes closed.

She took out the sachet she always carried. “Maybe it’s this. It’s filled with herbs, for repelling mosquitoes.”

Xie Yan sniffed it—something still felt off. He bent slightly toward her, getting closer to her body, and finally pinpointed the source. He immediately took two steps back. His normally clear mind felt oddly foggy.

“It’s this. Alright.”

“When your brother wakes up, you two can sit in our car.”

Xie Yan picked up an enamel cup of hot water, trying to calm the fast beat of his heart. That sachet was no ordinary item.

After she was sent back, Xue Yongkang soon woke up. His face always wore a smile—rarely did he show distress.

“Qingdai, next time I fall asleep, just slap me awake, okay?”

If he lost her, he might as well die. No—first he’d find her and make sure she was safe, then die.

“I’m fine, brother. There’s an officer in the next car who said he can protect us. We’ll ride the rest of the way with them,” she said, worried he might refuse. “That car doesn’t smell like feet, and our current car had a murder suspect. We might not be so lucky if it happens again.”

Xue Yongkang didn’t want to gamble on luck. His little sister hated the train’s smell so much she refused to use the toilet—he couldn’t risk her staying here alone.

Soldiers were trustworthy.

He pulled down her cotton shirt. “No need to hide your face anymore, little sis. With soldiers protecting us, let’s not act shady. Let’s take Mom’s pork crackling buns and share them with the officers—can’t let them protect us for nothing.”

Xue Yongkang didn’t mind owing favors, especially when it concerned his little sister. Trading a few buns for a peaceful night’s sleep for her—totally worth it.

The whole village knew the one person you couldn’t afford to upset in the Xue family was the youngest—Xue Qingdai. Outside the home, they couldn’t act tough, but when they had the chance, they’d make full use of it.

Xue Yongkang carried a large woven sack on his shoulder and a coarse cloth bag of food in his hand. Halfway there, he noticed many men staring at his little sister’s face.

“Stop looking!” he barked. He had no patience for outsiders.

Xue Qingdai said softly, “Third Brother, even if we have protection, we should still keep a low profile.”

Xue Yongkang always listened to his little sister, though his gaze remained sharp and hostile.

Xue Qingdai wrapped the gray cloth shirt around herself again, planning to take it off only after they got to the military officers’ car.

Liu Zhihong had already received orders from Captain Xie to arrange for them to stay in the neighboring car. Wearing his trademark smile, he waited at a spot the siblings had to pass. He politely declined the buns Xue Yongkang offered but gave Xue Qingdai another glance.

It seemed Captain Xie didn’t really want to see this girl.

Such a pity—so talented and decorated with countless military honors, and yet fate had dealt Captain Xie a cruel blow. He’d suffered a mysterious illness, and now he couldn’t have children. It was no secret in the army. The diagnosis had come from the 318 Hospital of the PLA—the most authoritative hospital in the capital. There was no way it was wrong.

There was even an exceptionally skilled female doctor who had feelings for the captain and didn’t mind his infertility caused by post-war injuries.

After Liu Zhihong returned from reporting in, Xue Qingdai finally relaxed.

She looked at the clean, empty bunk—feeling a little guilty that she hadn’t actually treated Li Zhonghao. Oh well, she’d sneak in a few needles for him later.

She had long been hungry. Tossing aside the gray shirt, she saw her third brother had already made malted milk for her.

Xue Qingdai took a sip and still had a mouthful when Xie Yan suddenly appeared—startling her into choking.

“Cough! Cough! Cough!”

Why did this man walk without making a sound?!